# US 2014/0195149 A1 · Positioning and mapping based on virtual landmarks

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- Number: US 2014/0195149 A1
- Document ID: US20140195149A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/738,854
- Filed: 2013-01-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Xue YANG; Lei YANG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195149A1

## CPC

- G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation}
- G01C 21/005: {with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching (G01C21/30 takes precedence)}
- G01S 5/02524: {Creating or updating the radio-map}
- H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

This disclosure is directed to positioning and mapping based on virtual landmarks. A space may include a plurality of signal sources (e.g., wireless access points (APs), cellular base stations, etc.). The space may be virtually divided into a plurality of regions, wherein each region in the space may be associated with a virtual landmark. Virtual landmarks may be identified by a signature comprised of measurements of wireless signals received from the plurality of access points when at the associated region. A device position may be approximated based on signal power magnitude and variance measurements for wireless signals received at the virtual landmark. Devices may employ an algorithm such as, for example, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for positioning and map creation in the space without the need for GPS signals, specialized signaling equipment, pre-navigation device training, etc. Navigation/mapping may also account for space changes, signal source position changes, etc.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, comprising:
a communication module to at least receive wireless signals; and
a processing module to determine at least one virtual landmark in a space based on the received wireless signals, to generate a map for use in navigating the space based on the at least one virtual landmark, and to navigate within the space based on the generated map.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the communication module is to receive short-range wireless communication signals from a plurality of radio signal sources within the space.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the space is virtually divided into a plurality of regions, each of the plurality of the regions being associated with a virtual landmark.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein each virtual landmark associated with a region in the space is identified by a signature comprising measurements of signal power magnitude and variance in the wireless signals received from each of the plurality of signal sources within the space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the measured power magnitude and variance of the wireless signals is based on Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is to generate the map and navigate using a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the SLAM algorithm uses detection of virtual landmarks to correct device pose estimations.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein generating the map comprises the processing module being to generate a provisional map based on the virtual landmarks, to determine whether the virtual landmarks were previously visited, and to update a permanent map to update the signature for at least one existing virtual landmark or to add at least one new virtual landmark based on the determination.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein navigating within the space based on the map comprises the processing module being further to update particle weights for the virtual landmarks based on the measured signatures for the virtual landmarks compared to the signatures recorded in the permanent or provisional maps.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further to determine whether any radio signal sources at a new pose have changed position based on the updated particle weights being substantially similar.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein determining whether any radio signal sources at the new pose have changed position comprises the processing module being further to observe if signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for any radio signal source is substantially higher than signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for other radio signal sources.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein the processing module is further to remove from signatures of the virtual landmarks the signal measurements corresponding to any source of wireless signals whose position was determined to have changed.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
determining that a device has changed position;
estimating the position of the device within a space by determining virtual landmarks associated with regions within a plurality of regions into which the space is virtually divided;
updating a map of the space in the device based on the determined virtual landmarks; and
navigating within the space based on the map.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein determining the device has changed position comprises sensing a position change in the device based on inertial sensors within the device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein estimating the position of the device comprises determining a new pose for particles corresponding to possible positions of the device within the space in accordance with a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising updating virtual landmark estimates based on signal power magnitude and variance measurements of wireless signals received at the new pose, the wireless signal measurements forming a signature by which virtual landmarks are identified.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein updating the map comprises generating a provisional map based on the virtual landmarks, determining whether the virtual landmarks were previously visited, and updating a permanent map to update the signature for at least one existing virtual landmark or to add at least one new virtual landmark based on the determination.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein navigating within the space based on the map comprises updating particle weights for the virtual landmarks based on the measured signatures for the virtual landmarks compared to the signatures recorded in the permanent or provisional maps.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising determining whether any radio signal sources at the new pose have changed position based on the updated particle weights being substantially similar.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein determining whether any radio signal sources at the new pose have changed position comprises observing if signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for any radio signal source is substantially higher than signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for other radio signal sources.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising removing from the signatures of the virtual landmarks the signal measurements corresponding to any source of wireless signals whose position was determined to have changed.

### Claim 22

At least one machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:
determining that a device has changed position;
estimating the position of the device within a space by determining virtual landmarks associated with regions within a plurality of regions into which the space is virtually divided;
updating a map of the space in the device based on the determined virtual landmarks; and
navigating within the space based on the map.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The medium of claim 22, wherein determining the device has changed position comprises sensing a position change in the device based on inertial sensors within the device.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The medium of claim 22, wherein estimating the position of the device comprises determining a new pose for particles corresponding to possible positions of the device within the space in accordance with a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:
updating virtual landmark estimates based on signal power magnitude and variance measurements of wireless signals received at the new pose, the wireless signal measurements forming a signature by which virtual landmarks are identified.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The medium of claim 25, wherein updating the map comprises generating a provisional map based on the virtual landmarks, determining whether the virtual landmarks were previously visited, and updating a permanent map to update the signature for at least one existing virtual landmark or to add at least one new virtual landmark based on the determination.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The medium of claim 26, wherein navigating within the space based on the map comprises updating particle weights for the virtual landmarks based on the measured signatures for the virtual landmarks compared to the signatures recorded in the permanent or provisional maps.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:
determining whether any sources of the wireless signals received at the new pose have changed position based on the updated particle weights being substantially equal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The medium of claim 28, wherein determining whether any radio signal sources at the new pose have changed position comprises observing if signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for any radio signal source is substantially higher than signal power magnitude changes accumulated over all particles for other radio signal sources.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:
removing from the signatures of the virtual landmarks the signal measurements corresponding to any source of wireless signals whose position was determined to have changed.